The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has suspended the sale of 10 cooking fat trademarks for non-compliance with established standards.
In a statement, KEBS said it ordered the recall to protect consumers from potentially unsafe products and to safeguard the economic interests of the brands they comply with.
“This is not a ban on brands, but a temporary suspension to facilitate the protection of consumers from potentially unsafe products, safeguard the economic interest of compliant brand manufacturers, and allow non-compliant brand manufacturers to initiate and put effective corrective measures underway. action under the supervision of Kebs,” the statement read in part.
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The suspension comes at a time when Kenyans are denouncing the rising cost of cooking oil due to the vagaries of inflation, which has increased household budgets in the face of stagnant wages and income sources.
The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian crisis has disrupted global supply chains, including oil, whose rising costs have caused the cost of production to rise.
Cooking oil was also affected, the cost of which was exacerbated by global prices for crude palm oil, which is essential in the manufacture of refrigerant oil. Although palm oil prices have been falling, they are still high compared to a year ago.
That the Kenyan shilling has continued to lose against the US dollar has only made matters worse.
But do people really need cooking oil? Well, for starters, a variety of food types don’t require oil or fat to cook.
In fact, Professor Christopher Ataro, a plant bleeding scientist, says there are no foods that can’t do without cooking oil. There are different ways to cook, such as boiling, grilling and roasting, he adds.
However, some foods have natural fats, while others have more health benefits due to their low levels of fat. We are talking here about meats such as veal, chevon (goat meat), veal, lamb, chicken, pork and fish. Most produce a lot of natural oil when simmered over time.
Adding cooking oil to such meats only increases their fat/oil content, too much of which is dangerous to the body. Bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer and obesity are some of the consequences, warns former Grace Chege hotel nutritionist.
He adds that adding cooking oil to meats can also reduce appetite. Chege says that all forms of meat, red or white, have their own natural oil and don’t need processed cooking oil or fat to cook them.
Steamed vegetables, she says, shorten shelf life by keeping their natural properties and value, especially vitamins.
“If you cook vegetables for a long time, they lose vitamins, which are the main benefits of eating vegetables,” says Chege.
“Vegetables should not change color as they are healthier, more attractive and tastier when they look green. Overcooking turns them from green to brown,” she says.
The body needs vitamins, calcium, potassium and folic acid to prevent disease.
Some Kenyans believe that fries cannot do without deep frying, which requires a lot of oil. But French fries can be air fried. And in any case, are air-fried potatoes better than fried ones?
Professor Ataro says: “Yes, as already mentioned, frying breaks down the oil and reduces its quality, making it unhealthy. Air drying is like grilling without oil.”
Chege advises that people choose low-fat foods, as restricting fat intake is beneficial, especially for people with gallbladder or pancreas disease.
Professor Ataro explains that high consumption of cooking oil increases the high concentration of toxic chemicals called aldehydes, which increases the risk of diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, dementia, gallbladder and pancreatic diseases. , while low fat intake for cooking decreases or controls their risk. diseases.
Low-fat diets also prevent heartburn, reduce weight, and improve cholesterol levels.
Chege says all grains should be cooked and kept healthy when prepared without cooking oil, such as the corn-bean mixture popularly known as githeri, which is a staple of Midwest communities. Muthokoi, common among the Kamba, also falls into this category.
Other foods that should be prepared without cooking oil are legumes such as peas, lentils, mushrooms, greens, and squash.
Starchy foods such as cassava, potatoes, ngwaci (sweet potatoes), nduma (arrow roots), and yams are best boiled. Eggs can be boiled or canned.
Other foods that do not require cooking oil include mrenda, managu, ugali, maize (which can be boiled or roasted), beans, mukimo (mashed mixture of maize, beans, potatoes, and nduma leaves), rice, cassava, and spaghetti.
As for those who buy animal fat in butcher shops, well, Professor Ataro advises against it.
“Animal fats are mostly saturated fats or trans fats, which are potentially harmful to health,” he explains.
Unlike other dietary fats, trans fats are the worst. Also called trans fatty acids, trans fats increase ‘bad’ cholesterol and lower ‘good’ cholesterol.
“The best option is vegetable oil. Processed vegetable oils belong to the category of polyunsaturated oils (found in vegetables, nuts and seeds) and are good for your health,” says Professor Ataro.
“We spoil them by subjecting them to heat during frying. Its smoke points or boiling points are mostly low and its structure breaks down at high temperatures.
“Peanut oil has a high smoke point and doesn’t break down as easily, but the oil is not plentiful and expensive,” adds Professor Ataro.
But boiled foods can be bland on the palate. How can they be made more palatable?
Professor Ataro advises that spices such as coriander, black pepper, celery and mint or unprocessed fatty foods such as crushed peanuts or coconut can be added.
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